NFL 2024 Week 16 Recap
Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers was the Thursday night game. The 9-5 Broncos and 8-6 Chargers both entered this game in strong playoff position. The Broncos with a win could do damage to the Chargers. The Broncos took over at their own 28. On 3rd and 2 from their own 48, Williams ran for 15. Bo Nix hit Adkins for 13. Nix went to Watson for 13. Estime ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Broncos. After a touchback Justin Herbert hit Matlock for 10. Gud Wards ran for 6 and Vidal added 19. On 3rd and 2 from the Denver 27, Herbert went to Palmer for 24. Edwards ran for 2 and then for a one yard touchdown and a 7-7 game.
After a touchback the Broncos faced 3rd and 9 from their own 31. Nix ran for 10. Estime added 9. Nix went to Vele for 15l. The second quarter began with Nix hitting Cortland Sutton for 18. Estime ran for 9. Nix hit Burton for the one yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Broncos. The Chargers after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Denver 17. Edwards got blown up for a 2 yard loss. Cameron Dicker hit the 37 yard field goal to get the Chargers within 14-10. After a touchback on 3rd and 11 from their own 29, Nix hit Williams for 12 and to Marvin Mims for a 53 yard gain. Nix found Vele for a 6 yard touchdown. The Broncos led 21-10 thanks to touchdowns on their first 3 drives. Yet they would not reach the end zone again. The Broncos were in total control. Then with 8 seconds left in the half, chaos broke out.
The Broncos were punting. The return man signaled for a fair catch at his own 38. The Broncos interfered with the fair catch as the clock hit zeroes. First came the 15 yard fair catch interference penalty to move the ball to the Denver 47. The Chargers are also given one untimed down. A Hail Mary was one option, but instead Jim Harbaugh went with the hardly ever attempted free kick field goal. This means that instead of snapping the ball back 8 yards and trying a 65 yard field goal with rushers attempting to block it, Dicker would be able to kick from the scrimmage spot, a 57 yard try. He would also be kicking it like a kickoff, with nobody rushing at him. A tee is not allowed, but the holder held steady. Dicker hit the free kick field goal through the uprights to have the Chargers within 21-13 at the half. Wil Lutz responded early in the third quarter with a 41 yarder to make it 24-13 Broncos, but after that the Chargers exploded.
After a touchback, Herbert ran for 18. Herbert hit Fisk for 10 and Smartt for 19. On 3rd and 13 from the Denver 18, Herbert ran for 7 but defensive unnecessary roughness added 6 and a new set of downs. Edwards ran for a 5 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Chargers were within 24-19. The Chargers got it back at their own 22. Herbert went to Palmer for 12. On the first play of the fourth quarter, a horse collar tackle penalty added 15 yards. On 3rd and 5 from the Denver 42, Herbert went to Johnston for 6. Herbert found Ladd McConkey for 17 and to Davis for a 19 yard touchdown. This time Herbert hit Palmer for the 2 point conversion to have the Chargers up 27-24 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
The defenses dug in and with 3:43 left the Chargers faced 3rd and 10 from their own 10. Herbert ran for 16. Edwards ripped off a 43 yard run. On 2nd and 13 from the Denver 34, Herbert went to Haskins for the touchdown to have the Chargers up 34-24 with 2 1/2 minutes left. Needing 2 scores on 1st and 10 from the Chargers 37, Sean Payton immediately went with the field goal. Lutz hit from 55 to get the Broncos within 7. The onside kick failed. Taking 3 knees immediately would still leave a few seconds so Herbert took all 3 knees after wasting a few seconds. On 4th and 32 from his own 32 with 4 seconds left, Herbert threw a deep incompletion to finish off the clock rather than risk a punt block. Both teams are 9-6 on the year as the Chargers rebounded one week after getting blown out at home. 34-27 Chargers
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs was the Saturday morning game. The 9-5 Texans and 13-1 Chiefs came in having both clinched their respective divisions. The Chiefs were two games up in the conference lead. Patrick Mahomes entered with a slightly gimpy ankle suffered the previous week. An early interception of CJ Stroud set up the Chiefs at their own 34. Runs and short passes led to a 3rd and 3 at the Houston 45. Mahomes went to Deandre Hopkins for 7. On 3rd and 13 from the Houston 41, Mahomes scrambled for 12. Walrus Andy Reid went for it on 4th and 1 at the Houston 29. Mahomes went to Hollywood Brown for 12. Mahomes then scrambled up the middle for a 15 yard touchdown to cap the 11 play, 66 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive and put the Chiefs up 7-0. After a touchback, the Texans moved to a 2nd and 6 at the Kansas City 11. A swing pass from Stroud lost 4 yards and Stroud then threw incomplete. Kaimi Fairbairn hit the 33 yard field goal to get the Texans on the board.
The Texans got the ball back at their own 18. On 3rd and 6, Stroud went deep to Nico Collins for 30 as the first quarter ended. In the second quarter on 3rd and 6 from the Kansas City 44, Stroud went to Hutchinson for 8. On 3rd and 13 from the Kansas City 39, Stroud went to Tank Dell for 16. On 3rd and 1 from the Kansas City 14, Joe Mixon juked several defenders to gain 4 yards. Stroud then rolled out to his right, and as he was being tackled around the ankles, threw a wounded duck to the end zone that was caught by Dalton Schultz for the touchdown. The Arrowhead crowd screamed in protest, as either offensive holding or offensive pass interference could have been called. Nevertheless, the 13 play, 82 yard, 6 minute drive had the Texans up 10-7 on the road.
The Chiefs took over at their own 18. On 2nd and 10 from their own 41, Mahomes got hit as he was throwing and fumbled the ball. The texans returned the fumble for a touchdown and a 17-7 lead. Yet on further review, the fumble was changed to an incomplete pass. Additionally, the Houston defense was called for roughing the passer by hitting Mahomes in the head. Even though replay clearly showed Mahomes was hit near the neck area and not the head or helmet, the penalty stood. On 3rd and 3 from the Houston 37, Mahomes under heavy pressure threw incomplete. Yet defensive holding kept the drive going. On 3rd and 10 from the Houston 32, Mahomes went to Kelce for 14. On 3rd and 6 from the Houston 14, Mahomes went to Worthy for 11. Karim Hunt took the handoff straight up the gut for the 3 yard touchdown to finish the 13 play, 82 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive. The Chiefs retook the lead 14-10 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half.
The Texans after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 30 with 1:15 left in the half. Offensive pass interference was a killer. Then on 3rd and 20 Stroud threw an ill-advised pass over then middle that was intercepted. The Chiefs had the ball at their own 35 with a full 52 seconds left. The inevitable came on the next play. Mahomes found Perine all alone in the flat for a 36 yard gain. A sack of Mahomes was wiped away by defensive holding. On 1st and 10 from the Houston 24, a pair of Mahomes incompletions were sandwiched around a completion that lost a couple yards. Harrison Butker hit the 44 yard field goal with 19 seconds left in the half. Instead of possibly trailing or only leading 14-13, the Chiefs took a 17-10 lead to the locker rooms.
A field position game in the third quarter had the Texans taking over at midfield. Stroud went to Woods for 17. On 3rd and 7 from the Kansas City 30, joy and tragedy were all wrapped up into one emotional play. Stroud went bombs away, but 2 receivers were near each other in the end zone. Tank Dell caught the touchdown pass. Yet the celebration quickly turned to grief as Dell stayed down writhing in pain. His own fellow receiver accidentally hit him hard in the knee. This friendly fire accident had Stroud and his teammates crying. After several minutes, the stretcher came out for Dell. Chiefs players including Mahomes fought back tears. A classy display of cheers by the Kansas City faithful greeted Dell as he was carried off. The next question would be if the Texans the rest of the game would be more inspired and emotional or flat and deflated. The immediate response was not encouraging as Fairbairn missed the extra point. Rather than a tie game, the Texans trailed 17-16.
A strong kickoff return had the Chiefs at their own 40. On 4th and 1 from just shy of midfield, Walrus Andy Reid gambled. Isaiah Pacheco got the carry up the middle and ran into a Houston brick wall for no gain. Yet the inspired defensive stand did not lift up the offense. With a short field, the Texans ran 3 plays and netted only one yard before punting. The Chiefs took over at their own 20. Mahomes went to Xavier Worthy for 19. Runs and short passes moved the Chiefs to the Houston 42. Mahomes went to Kelce for 4, Hunt for 7, and Worthy for 12. Mahomes went to Worthy for an 8 yard touchdown to make it 24-16 Chiefs after three quarters.
After a touchback the Texans moved 50 yards in 14 plays and 6 minutes. Yet on 1st and goal at the 10, Stroud was sacked followed by a pair of incompletions and a delay of game. Fairbairn hit from 38 but the Texans trailed 24-19 with 12 minutes left in regulation. The Chiefs took over at their own 31 and engineered a 14 play, 60 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive of their own. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Mahomes threw incomplete. Butker hit the 27 yard field goal to have the Chiefs back up by 8 points with 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
The Texans soon faced 3rd and 11 at their own 25. A blindside corner blitz resulted in a sack of Stroud and a 12 yard loss. On 4th and 23 from his own 13 with under 4 minutes left, Demeco Ryans had no choice but to punt and hope his defense could get a stop and get the Texans the ball back.
With 3 1/2 minutes left, the Chiefs faced 3rd and 4 at their own 45 a the Texans took their final timeout on defense. With everything on the line, Mahomes went to Perine for a 16 yard gain. On 2nd and 4 from the Houston 33 at the 2 minute warning, Hunt broke free for a 20 yard gain and smartly slid down inbounds. Mahomes took 3 knees. Both teams have only 4 days until their next game, a rare Wednesday football game due to that being Christmas day. The Chiefs will be playing Pittsburgh and the Texans take on Baltimore, with those teams also only having 4 days rest. The Texans were game, but they are merely a good team. The Chiefs are the 2 time defending Super Bowl champions. The Chiefs won their 16th straight one score game, an NFL record. Most importantly for the 14-1 Chiefs, they need only one win in their final two games to lock up the top seed in the AFC and home field advantage throughout the playoffs with the first round bye. This makes Andy Reid a most happy Walrus indeed. 27-19 Chiefs
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens was the Saturday afternoon game. Every cliche applies because they are still true. This AFC North rivalry is your typical street fight, a bare-knuckle slooberknocker between mirror image teams that win with smash mouth power running and hard-nosed defense. The rivalry has been one-sided in recent years as the Steelers have beaten Lamar Jackson in 8 of their last 9 meetings. The 10-4 Steelers would clinch the division with a win while the 9-5 Ravens would clinch a playoff spot with a win. The Steelers won this match in Pittsburgh 5 weeks ago. After an opening touchback Derrick Henry barreled forward for gains of 6 and 14 to midfield. The Ravens reached 1st and 10 at the Pittsburgh 33, well within field goal range. First Henry got stopped for no gain. Then Jackson got sacked and fumbled. The Ravens held possession but with a 10 yard loss. A great punt pinned the Steelers at their own 3 yard line.
Pittsburgh went 3 and out. A 16 yard punt return saw the Ravens fumble the ball a second time but again manage to keep possession. The Ravens avoided disaster and had a short field at the Pittsburgh 41. Henry then gashed the defense for gains of 11, 13, 9, and 2. After Henry was tackled for a 3 yard loss, Jackson found a wide open Isaiah Likely in the flat for a 9 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Ravens lead. The Steelers took over at their own 27. Russell Wilson went to Ben Skowronek for 17. On 3rd and 7 from their own 34, Wilson avoided another sack and threw a dart to Skowronek for 13. Jalen Warren had a pair of 9 yard gains. Wilson went to Van Jefferson for a 21 yard gain. On the first play of the second quarter, Wilson faked the handoff and fired over the middle to Michael Pruitt for a one yard touchdown. The 10 play, 73 yard, 6 minute drive tied the game 7-7.
A shanked 14 yard punt gave the Steelers the ball back at their own 42. The punt was not partially blocked. It was just terrible. The Steelers quickly moved to the Baltimore 23. Wilson broke free and was headed to the end zone, but then he got greedy. Rather than slide for a 20 yard gain, Wilson tried to run over a defender, forgetting that he is a quarterback. He got blasted on his leg and fumbled. The Ravens recovered at their own 4 yard line. Jackson went to Likely for 19. Justice Hill ran for 5 and then ripped off a 25 yard gain. Yet Hill suffered a concussion at the end of the play and did not return. Jackson went to Bay Flowers for 14 with a defensive facemark penalty on Minkah Fitzpatrick adding 15 more. On 3rd and 8 from the Baltimore 14, Jackson found Rashad Bateman for the touchdown. The 96 yard drive had the Ravens up 14-7 midway through the second quarter.
The Ravens took over at their own 28 and moved to a first and 10 at the Pittsburgh 35. Yet a run gained only one yard and after an incompletion, a completion gained only one more yard. Justin Tucker went from being the greatest kicker in NFL history to a struggling kicker this year. He had made only 5 of his 14 field goals from 50 yards or more. Yet from 51 despite a terrible snap, Tucker was dead center. The Ravens took a 17-7 lead with 1:43 left in the half. After a touchback the Steelers moved to a 1st and 10 at the Baltimore 35 with 17 seconds left in the half. The Steelers took their final timeout on offense. Trying to gain a few more yards without a timeout, a draw play by Wilson gained only 2 yards. The Steelers scrambled to the line and Wilson spiked the ball to stop the clock with 5 seconds left. Chris Boswell is having a great season, and from 51 he was true again. The Steelers ended the half only down 17-10.
The Steelers went 3 and out to start the third quarter and the Ravens took over at their own 8 yard line. The Ravens had a promising drive going but on 3rd and 1 from their own 39, Henry got stuffed for a one yard loss. The Steelers got the ball back at their own 12. This time Wilson immediately went bombs away to Austin for a 44 yard gain. On 3rd and 6 from the Baltimore 40, Wilson went to Austin for 16. Najee Harris ran for 9. Wilson went to Cordarelle Patterson in the end zone. The play was well defended but Patterson made the juggling catch for the 12 yard touchdown. With 5 minutes left in the third quarter, this game was deadlocked 17-17.
Chris Boswell kicked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to set up the Ravens at their own 40. Jackson went to Mark Andrews for 16 and to Flowers for 14. A perfectly executed screen pass to Henry went for 16 more. Jackson fired over the middle to Andrews for a 7 yard touchdown to have the Ravens back on top 24-17 with one minute left in the third quarter. A strong kickoff return had the steelers at their own 38. On 3rd and 7 from the Pittsburgh 46, Wilson went to Jalen Warren, who got blasted and fumbled. The Steelers retained possession for a one yard gain as the third quarter ended. After trying to get the defense to jump offside and taking the break to talk it over, Mike Tomlin was expected to begin the fourth quarter by punting and playing field position. Instead, Tomlin decided to go for it. Even more surprisingly, Wilson went for it all. The bomb was well defended and fell incomplete to give the Ravens great field position.
On the next play from scrimmage from his own 45, Henry took a run off left tackle and raced for a 44 yard gain. The Ravens were completely in the driver’s seat. Even a field goal would give the Ravens a 2 score leading a game that had not seen one all day. Jackson was having his hottest season, throwing 37 touchdowns against only 3 interceptions. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Pittsburgh 11, rather than go smash mouth, Jackson threw an ill-advised pass over the middle that was intercepted by Minkah Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick returned the pick 25 yards to set up the Steelers at their own 33. Jackson had a wide open receiver in the flat, making his decision to throw over the middle even more curious. Jackson is a phenomenal talent who sometimes takes risky chances, and this one blew up on him.
Yet 2 plays later, the tables turned in a far bigger way. Wilson went to a receiver in the flat and Marlon Humphrey jumped the route. Humphrey coasted 37 yards the other way for a defensive touchdown and a 31-17 Ravens lead. The Steelers prior to this game had given up only 17 points all year following turnovers. In this game they gave up 14 points on their two turnovers. After a touchback the Steelers were soon confronted with 4th and 12 from midfield. This time with 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Mike Tomlin chose to punt and trust his defense. As for John Harbaugh, his job was simple. Have Jackson hand the ball to Henry.
The Ravens took over at their own 8. A pair of Henry runs had the Ravens facing 3rd and 5. Rather than move the chains, Jackson went for the bomb. Flowers came down with it for a 49 yard gain. Then it was back to Henry for gains of 5 and 4. On 3rd and inches from the Pittsburgh 29, John Harbaugh called for a tight end sneak. Rather than Jackson or Henry, it was Andrews getting just enough. Then back to Henry, who took a carry straight up the gut for 13 more. On 3rd and 7 from the Pittsburgh 12, the defense jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 2, Henry up the gut came up inches short. While going for it was tempting, Harbaugh made the right decision and went with the field goal. From 23 yards out, Tucker locked up the win.
The Ravens tried to create drama by fumbling a punt with 1:40 left, but for the third time on the day they retained possession rather than turn it over. Up by 17, it would not have affected the outcome. The Ravens finished with 220 yards on the ground, with Henry alone running for 162 yards on 24 carries for a monster 6.8 yards per carry. Both teams are 10-5 and in the playoffs with 2 games to play. The teams split the season series, both winning at home. Yet despite the loss in this game, the Steelers still held the division tie-breaker. Both teams have only 4 days until their next game, a rare Wednesday football game due to that being Christmas day. The Steelers will be playing Kansas City and the Ravens take on Houston, with those teams also only having 4 days rest. 34-17 Ravens
Los Angeles Rams at New York Jets — The Rams would win their division if they won out. The Jets are done for the year. An early punt had the Jets pinned at their own one yard line. Breece Hall ran for 7 and 5. Aaron Rodgers went to Conklin for 12. On 3rd and 7 from their own 28, Rodgers went to Wilson for 15, to Devontae Adams for 9, and to Conklin for 20. On 4th and 2 from the Rams 20, interim coach Jeff Ulbrich went for it. Rodgers hit Adams for 8. Rodgers went back to Adams for an 11 yard touchdown. Anders Carlson missed the extra point. The 14 play, 99 yard, 8 1/2 minute drive had the Jets up 6-0. Matthew Stafford was intercepted, but then Ulbrich decided to gamble on 4th and 1 from his own 33. Hall got the carry and got stopped. Crossing the line from bold to reckless is what Brandon Staley and Barry Switzer used to do. Williams ran for 13. Stafford went to Puka Nacua for 18. Williams ran for a 2 yard touchdown. Joshua Karty’s extra point doinked off the upright no good for a 6-6 tie. After a touchback the Jets moved to a 2nd and goal at the 3 with 9 seconds left in the half. Rodgers threw incomplete twice. Carlson hit the 21 yard field goal to make it 9-6 Jets at the half. The third quarter was scoreless because each team had only one drive. The Jets held the ball for nearly 10 minutes. Yet on 4th and 4 from the Rams 13, Ulbrich decided to go for it rather than just kick a chip shot 31 yard field goal. Rodgers threw incomplete.
The Rams from that spot held the ball for 7 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 8 from the Jets 15, a false start and an incompletion killed the drive. Harty hit from 38 early in the fourth quarter for a 9-9 game. The Jets soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 31. Rodgers was sacked and fumbled. The Rams recovered at the Jets 21. Stafford went to Tyler Higbee for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 16-9 Rams with 10 minutes left in regulation. A strong kickoff return had the Jets at their own 41. On 4th and 4 from their own 47, Rodgers threw incomplete. Stafford immediately went deep to Nacua for 27. That was enough for Harty to hit a 45 yard field goal to put the Rams up by 10 with 5:17 to play. After a touchback the Jets moved to a 4th and 4 at the Rams 26 just before the 2 minute warning. Needing 2 scores, the obvious decision is the field goal. Interim Coach Jeff Ulbrich decided to go for it. These are the Jets. Then came a false start. These are the Jets. At least on 4th and 9 Ulbrich came to his senses and went with the field goal. From 49 yards out, Carlson was wide no good. These are the Jets. The Jets defense held and forced a punt. The Jets fumbled the punt. These are the Jets. The 9-6 Rams under Sean McVay will win the NFC West with 2 more wins. As for their opponents, Just End The Season. 19-9 Rams
Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders — The 12-2 Eagles could lock up the NFC East with a win while the 9-5 Commanders are just trying to survive and make the playoffs. The opening kickoff landed short o the landing zone to set up the Commanders nicely at their own 40. Dan Quinn immediately gambled on 4th and 1. Robinson got the carry and ran into a Philadelphia brick wall for no gain. From that spot, Saquon Barkley ran for 19. On 3rd and 9 from the Washington 29, Hurts only gained 6 but defensive holding meant 5 more and a new set of downs. Barkley did the rest, running for 13, 3, and finally the 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Eagles. A strong kickoff return had the Commanders at their own 43. Yet on the first play from scrimmage, Robinson fumbled and the Eagles recovered at the same spot. Hurts hit Devonta Smith for 11. Hurts then ripped off a 22 yard scramble. Intentional grounding on Hurts had the Eagles facing 2nd and 20 from the Washington 34. Hurts scrambled again for a 13 yard gain but appeared to hit his head at the end of the play. Despite wanting to stay in the game, Hurts was taken to the locker room to be evaluated for a concussion. Backup Kenny Pickett came in on 3rd and 7 from the Washington 21 and on his first play hit AJ Brown for 10. On 3rd and 3 from the Washington 4, Pickett went to Brown again for the touchdown to make it 14-0 Eagles.
An interception of Pickett gave the Commanders great field position at the Philadelphia 25. Defensive penalties for too many men on the field and roughing the passer meant 1st and goal. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Jayden Daniels went to Jamison Crowder for the touchdown to get the Commanders within 14-7. The Eagles took over at their own 31. Two plays later Barkley broke free to the sideline and outraced everyone for a 68 yard touchdown to make it 21-7 Eagles. Barkley had over 100 yards rushing in the first quarter alone. The Commanders moved from their own 33 to a 1st and 10 at the Philadelphia 16 early in the second quarter. Robinson gained 6 and then fumbled the ball away. Turnovers plagued the Commanders all day as this game was on the verge of becoming a laugher. The Commanders got the ball back at their own 4 yard line. Rather than go conservative, Dan Quinn went for it all. Daniels went bombs away to Brown for a 51 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the Philadelphia 36, a run lost 3 yards. Quinn gambled on 4th and 4. Daniels scrambled for 5. On 3rd and 8 from the Philadelphia 32, Daniels went deep to Terry McLaurin for the touchdown to get the Commanders within 21-14. On the last play of the half, a 56 yard field goal try by Jake Elliott to extend the lead was short no good. Elliott did hit from 24 and 40 in the third quarter to have the Eagles up 27-14. The latter field goal was set up by a Washington fumble. Yet both drives reached the red zone before bogging down. The Eagles had every chance under the sun to slam the door shut but left it open.
The Commanders soon faced 3rd and 4 from their own 45. McNichols gained 5. Daniels went to Zaccheaus for 10. On 4th and 11 from the Philadelphia 41, Dan Quinn went for it again. Daniels scrambled for a 29 yard gain as the third quarter ended. On 3rd and 2 from the Philadelphia 4, Daniels went to Zaccheaus for the touchdown. The Commanders were within 27-21 only 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. The Commanders got it back and soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 18. Daniels went to Robinson for 8, to McCaffrey for 13, and to Zac Ertz for 12. Daniels then went bombs away to Zaccheaus for a 49 yard touchdown. The Commanders had come all the way back to take a 28-27 lead with 9 minutes left in regulation. The Eagles moved from their own 34 to a 4th and 7 at the Washington 32. Elliott hit from 50 to put the Eagles back in front 30-28 with 3:48 to play. The Commanders soon faced 3rd and 5 from their own 40. Daniels was then intercepted by Rod Blankenship, who returned the pick 28 yards to the Washington 27 yard line. 5 turnovers killed the Commanders. Now the Eagles had their umpteenth chance to turn out the lights. On 3rd and 5, Pickett threw to Smith for what would have been the clinching first down. It was right in Smith’s hands. He was wide open. He dropped it. Elliott hit from 40 at the 2 minute warning. The Eagles led 33-28, but the Commanders were very much alive.
A strong kickoff return had the Commanders starting at their own 42 with 1:52 to play. Daniels went to Zaccheaus for 7 and to McLaurin for 10. Daniels ran for 12. On 3rd and 1 from the Philadelphia 14, Robinson gained 5. Daniels spiked the ball to stop the clock with 11 seconds left. On 2nd and goal at the 9, Daniels fired over the middle to Crowder for the touchdown. McNichols ran in the 2 point conversion. 6 seconds still remained, but the hook and laterals on the kickoff return did not succeed. The Commanders showed that one way to overcome 5 turnovers is to have your quarterback throw 5 touchdown passes. Daniels did exactly that. The Eagles 12-3 had their 10 game win streak snapped and fell one game back in the conference. The 10-5 Commanders are all but in the playoffs, with one more win definitely putting them in. The Commanders still have the faintest hopes of winning the division, but the Eagles should survive on that front. The biggest concern of the Eagles is the health of Hurts. 36-33 Commanders
New York Giants at Atlanta Falcons — With the Falcons at 7-7 and in danger of missing the playoffs, Raheem Morris benched Kirk Cousins. Rookie Michael Penix started his first NFL game. To ease him into the league, he played the Giants, currently on track to win the top pick in the Draft. Third stringer Drew Lock started for the Giants. Younghoe Koo injured himself last week, and his replacement Riley Patterson missed a 43 yard field goal try early in the game. The Giants took over at their own 30. Runs and short passes led to a 3rd and 1 at the Atlanta 37. Lock hit Bellinger for 5. Lock went to Robinson for gains of 9 and 6. After a scoreless first quarter, on the first play of the second quarter, Lock went to Tracy for the 2 yard touchdown. The Giants led 7-0 and then took the final 45 minutes of the game off. After a touchback, the Falcons moved to a 3rd and 9 at the Giants 34. Penix threw incomplete. Patterson hit from 52 to get the Falcons on the board. After a touchback the Giants soon faced 2nd and 7 from their own 48. Lock was intercepted by Bates, who returned the pick 55 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 10-7 Falcons lead. The Falcons got it back at their own 14. Penix hit Mooney for 15. On 3rd and 8 from their own 31, defensive pass interference on an incompletion added 30 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Giants 35, Penix went to Mooney for 19. Robinson did the rest, running for 9, 3, and the 4 yard touchdown to make it 17-7 Falcons at the half. For some reason involving league rules, the second half was played. On the second play from scrimmage after a third quarter touchback, Lock was intercepted again. This time it was Matthew Judon returning the pick 27 yards for a second defensive touchdown and a 24-7 Falcons lead. The Falcons got it back and moved 69 yards for a score. Robinson ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make to 31-7 Falcons. The Falcons tacked on a fourth quarter field goal to complete the blowout and hand the Giants their franchise record 10th straight loss. The Giants with 2 more losses will be guaranteed the top Draft pick. The 8-7 Falcons are again tied for their division lead and they hold the tie-breaker. 34-7 Giants
Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers — Despite being done for the year, the Panthers have played better football in recent weeks. The 7-7 Cardinals were fighting for their playoff lives. The Panthers began facing 3rd and 4 at their own 36. Bryce Young gained 5. Chuba Hubbard added 9. Defensive pass interference brought 20 more. On 4th and 1 from the Arizona 21, Dave Canales went for it. Hubbard gained 7. Thompkins ran for 9. Despite getting stopped on the ground on 2nd and 1 and on 3rd and 1 Canales went for it again on 4th and 1 from the 5. This time Hubbard got the yard. On 3rd and goal at the 8, Young threw incomplete but roughing the passer meant 1st and goal at the 4. On the next play Hubbard ran it in to make it 7-0 Panthers. The Cardinals moved from their own1 5 to a 4th and 1 at the Carolina 21 to start the second quarter. Jonathan Gannon went for it. James Conner gained 7 but offensive holding wiped out the gain. On 4th and 10, Gannon went with the field goal. Chad Ryland hit from 48 to have the Cardinals on the board. After a touchback, Young scrambled for a 34 yard gain. On 3rd and 7 from the Arizona 23, Young ran all the way for the touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Panthers led 13-3. Kyler Murray then fumbled and the Panthers recovered at the Arizona 30. Young went to Moore for 21. On 3rd and goal at the 8, Young went to Adam Thielen for the touchdown. Midway through the second quarter, the Panthers were dominating up 20-3.
After a touchback and a defensive hop drop tackle penalty, the Cardinals were at their own 46. Murray went to Marvin Harrison Jr for 12 and to James Conner for 36. Conner ran for a 6 yard touchdown to have the Cardinals within 20-10. The Cardinals got it back at their own 32. Conner ran for 7, caught a pass from Murray for 10, and ran for gains of 6, 10, 6, 17 and 6 to set up 2nd and 4 at the Carolina 6 with 23 seconds left in the half. On 3rd and 4 Murray threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one with 7 seconds left. Murray went to Dallas for the touchdown to get the Cardinals within 20-17. In the third quarter the Panthers moved from their own 34 to a 2nd and 4 at the Arizona 11. Young threw incomplete twice. Eddie Pineiro hit a 29 yard field goal to make it 23-17 Panthers. After a touchback the Cardinals moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Carolina 12. Murray threw incomplete. Ryalnd hit from 30 to get the Cardinals within 23-20.
The Panthers began the fourth quarter at their own 42. Young hit Tommy Tremble for 15 and again for 12. Young went to Moore for an 18 yard touchdown to give the Panthers breathing room up 30-20 with 12 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback the Cardinals soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 38. Murray ran for 4. Murray went to Carter for 18 and to Dortch for 19. On 3rd and 6 from the Carolina 20, Murray ran for the touchdown to get the Cardinals within 30-27 midway through the fourth quarter. With 3 1/2 minutes left on 3rd and 11 just past midfield, Murray went deep and was intercepted. Yet the Cardinals got it back with one more chance at their own 26 with 1:47 to play. They moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Carolina 44 with 22 seconds left. Murray was able to scramble for 5 more yards as the Cardinals called their final timeout with 2 seconds left. Ryland came in for a 58 yard try to tie the game. Ryland blasted it through for a 30-30 game. The Panthers went 3 and out to start overtime but the Cardinals did worse, punting on 4th and 28 form their own 4. The Panthers took over just past midfield. Hubbard did the rest, running for 28 and then breaking tackles for a 21 yard touchdown to end it with less than 3 1/2 minutes left in overtime. The Panthers are building for next year while the 7-8 Cardinals were eliminated from playoff contention. 36-30 Panthers, OT
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals — The Browns were cooked weeks ago while the 6-8 Bengals were barely hanging on. The Browns began at their own 23 and on the first play from scrimmage Ford ran for a 66 yard gain. On 1st and goal at the one, Donta Foreman took the carry and appeared stopped short. Confusion reigned as officials called it touchdown even though he didn’t appear to break the plane of the goal. On further review, the call was changed to being stopped short and a fumble recovered by the Bengals at their own one. Runs and short passes gave the Bengals breathing room at their own 20. Joe Burrow went to JaMarr Chase for 14. Brown ran for 21. Burrow went to Tee Higgins for 21. Brown ran for 22 more. Burrow hit Higgins for a 2 yard touchdown to complete the 99 yard drive. Instead of trailing 7-0, the Bengals led 7-0. Although the Bengals missed a first quarter field goal, it didn’t matter. The Bengals got the ball in the second quarter at midfield. Burrow went to Mike Gesicki for 5, to Chase for 11, and to Iosivas for 15. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Burrow went to Iosivas for the touchdown to make it 14-0 Bengals. With Evan McPherson injured, Cade York atoned for his earlier miss by nailing a 59 yarder to end the half to make it 17-0 Bengals. The second half was pointless. The Browns managed one touchdown in the third quarter but nothing else. Jameis Winston last week was benched because he kept throwing interceptions. This week his replacement Dorian Thompson-Robinson kept throwing interceptions. With 1:44 left in the game on 2nd and 6 from the Cleveland 32, rather than just run the ball, Burrow went deep to Chase for an exclamation point touchdown. The 7-8 Bengals are still mathematically alive for a playoff spot, but they need plenty of help. 24-6 Bengals
Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts — The Titans were washed up weeks ago while the Colts at 6-8 were hanging by a thread but still alive. This game was crazy. In the first quarter the Titans faced 3rd and 1 from their own 44. Mason Rudolph went to Boyd for 14. On 3rd and 6 from the Indianapolis 38, Rudolph went to Calvin Ridley for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Titans. An interception of Anthony Richardson gave the Titans early in the second quarter to extend the lead. Yet Narveson’s 53 yard try was no good. After that, the Colts exploded. From their own 43, Jonathan Taylor ran for 9 and 8. Richardson ran for 29. On 3rd and 3 from the Tennessee 5, Richardson ran it in to make it 7-7. The Colts got it back at their own 20 and Taylor quickly did the rest. He ran for 5, 4, and on 3rd and 1 from their own 29, 6. On the next play Taylor busted free for a 65 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Colts. The Colts got it back at their own 22 and moved to a 4th and 5 at the Tennessee 13. Matt Gay hit the 31 yard field goal to make it 17-7 Colts just before the 2 minute warning. An interception of Rudolph was returned 12 yards by Moore to the Tennessee 33. On 3rd and 4 with 15 seconds left in the half, Richardson went to Downs for a 27 yard touchdown. 24 second quarter points had the Colts up 24-7 at the intermission. On the first play from scrimmage after a third quarter touchback, Taylor went crazy again, ripping off a 70 yard touchdown to make it 31-7 Colts. Another interception of Rudolph gave the Colts a short field at the Tennessee 40. Richardson hit Downs for 31. Taylor ran for the one yard touchdown. 38 straight unanswered points had the Colts winning a laugher up 38-7 midway through the third quarter. This game should have been over.
After a touchback, Rudolph hit Spears for 22 and to Okonkwo for 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Indianapolis 40, Rudolph got the yard. A defensive facemask on the next play added 15. Spears ran for 6 and then for the 11 yard touchdown. A defensive penalty encouraged Brian Callahan to go for two from the one yard line. Tony Pollard got in to have the Titans within 38-15. The Colts moved from their own 23 to a 4th and 7 from the Tennessee 37 early in the fourth quarter. Matt Gay’s 55 yard field goal try to extend the lead was wide no good. From their own 45, Rudolph went to Okonkwo for 12, to Ridley for 21, to Spears for 19, and to Westbrook-Ikhine for a 6 yard touchdown. The Titans were within 38-22 midway through the fourth quarter. The Titans got it back at their own 29 with 6 minutes left. Rudolph hit Westbrook-Ikhine for 11. An incomplete pass saw the Indy defense called for 2 personal fouls on the same play, defensive pass interference and a facemark. That gifted the Titans 31 yards. Rudolph then went to Kinsey for 6 and to Spears for 17. Spears ran for a 2 yard touchdown. Brian Callahan went for the 2 point conversion and Rudolph hit Okonkwo successfully. 3 touchdowns meant 23 unanswered points and the Titans within 8 points with 3 minutes to play. At the 2 minute warning on 3rd and 8 from their own 34, Richardson hit Pittman for 10. A 9 yard Richardson run meant another first down. By the time the defense held and the Titans got the ball back, only 3 seconds remained. At their own 11 and needing 89 yards, the hook and laterals never materialized as Rudolph threw his final interception. Those who love power football will love Shane Steichen. The Colts running backs gashed the Tennessee defense for 335 yards on 50 carries, a 6.7 average. The bulk of that came from 218 yards on 29 carries by Taylor, a 7.5 yards per carry average. They made it tougher than necessary, but the 7-8 Colts are still mathematically alive for a playoff spot. They need a lot of help. 38-30 Colts
Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears — The Lions had their 11 game win streak snapped against Buffalo but were still 12-2 and holding the division and conference tie-breakers. The Bears had lost 8 straight. The first time these teams met, a horrendous clock management error left their Bears Coach Eberflustered and Eber-fired. This game was far less competitive. Early on the Lions moved form their own 33 to a 3rd and 3 at the Chicago 12. Jared Goff threw incomplete.
Jeremy Bates hit a 30 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Lions. Caleb Williams soon fumbled and the Lions gained a short field at the Chicago 36. Goff went to Jahmyr Gibbs for 23. On 3rd and 6 from the Chicago 9, Gibbs gained 8. After getting stopped twice, a determined Dan Campbell kept pounding. Gibbs got the carry again and on 3rd and goal at the one got in to make it 10-0 Lions. The Bears fumbled again and the Lions took over at their own 40. The Lions moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Chicago 16. Goff threw incomplete. Bates hit from 34 to make it 13-0 Lions. The Lions got it back at their own 7 and made things look easy early in the second quarter. Gibbs ran for 11. Goff then went bombs away to Williams for an 82 yard touchdown to make it 20-0 Lions. The Bears did manage a touchdown, but the Lions offense kept rolling. After a touchback, Gibbs caught a pass from Goff for 6 and ran for 9 and 11. Goff hit Jefferson for 10. On 4th and 1 from the Chicago 25, the defense jumped into the neutral zone. Goff went to Williams for 14. On 3rd and goal at the 8, Goff hit Amra St. Brown for the touchdown to make it 27-7 Lions. The Bears managed one more touchdown before the half but this game was never a contest. Bates was even allowed to try a 65 yard field goal to end the half but it was no good. The Lions began the third quarter at their own 21 and quickly moved to put the game away. Goff went to Williams for 25. Gibbs ran for 5 and 8. After a defensive unsportsmanlike conduct penalty added 15, Goff went to Sam LaPorta for the 21 yard touchdown. The Lions led 34-14 less than 3 minutes into the third quarter. Their offense took the rest of the day off, but all the Bears managed was one more field goal. The Bears lost their 9th straight while the 13-2 Lions have their best record in franchise history. They are tied atop their division and the conference and they hold the tie-breaker. 34-17 Lions
Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks — The 12-2 Vikings came in trying to maintain the best record in their division and the conference. The 8-6 Seahawks came in tied for the division lead but having clinched nothing. Nether team held their respective tie-breakers. This was two good football teams playing a good football game. After an opening touchback, Sam Darnold hit Jordan Addison for 9. Aaron Jones ran for 14. After a Darnold incompletion, Kevin O’Connell gambled on 4th and 3 from the Seattle 40 rather than try a 58 yard field goal. Darnold went to TJ Hockenson for 8. Darnold went to Addison for 12 and to Jones for 7. On 3rd and 3 from the Seattle 10, Darnold went to Justin Jefferson for 5 and to Addison for the 5 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 70 yard, 7 minute drive made it 7-0 Vikings. The Seahawks took over at their own 13. Kenneth walker gained 11. Geno Smith went to Brown for 17, to Walker for 8, to Bobo for 6 to end the first quarter, and to Fant for 15 to start the second quarter. Smith went deep to DK Metcalf for a 25 yard touchdown to make it 7-7.
The Vikings took over at their own 33. Darnold went to Jones for 15, to Jefferson for 19, and to Ham for 9. On 3rd and 3 from the Seattle 14, Darnold hit Jefferson for the touchdown to make it 14-7 Vikings. One play after a touchback, Smith was intercepted. Will Reichard hit a 52 yard field goal to make it 17-7 Vikings. With 1:25 left in the half the Seahawks were pinned at their own 12. Smith went to Metcalf for 20. Smith went back to Metcalf for 12 and to his non-relative Smith-Njigba for big gains of 13, 25, and finally the 18 yard touchdown. With 20 seconds left in the half the Seahawks were within 17-14. The Seahawks began the third quarter at their own 35 and moved to a 3rd and 8 at the Minnesota 25. Smith threw incomplete. Jason Myers hit the 43 yard field goal to make it 17-17. The Seahawks were resilient, but so were the Vikings.
After a touchback the Vikings moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Seattle 30. Darnold threw incomplete. Reichard hit form 48 to have the Vikings back up 20-17. In the fourth quarter the Seahawks faced 2d and 16 at their own 26. Smith went to Tyler Lockett for 17. McIntosh ran for 9 and 3. Smith hit Smith-Njigba for 13 and Fant for 17. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Smith hit Barner for the touchdown. After trailing all game, the Seahawks led 24-20 with 4:20 to play. After a touchback and a false start on 1st and 15, Darnold hit Jefferson for 12. Darnold ran for 9. A sack of Darnold was wiped out by a defensive facemark that added 15. Darnold then went bombs away to Jefferson for a spectacular 39 yard touchdown. There was good double coverage but Jefferson just beat it. 30 seconds after falling behind, the Vikings retook the lead by a field goal with 3:50 to play. The Seahawks after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the Minnesota 37. A sack killed the drive. At the 2 minute warning, rookie coach Mike McDonald on 4th and 15 brought in Myers to try a 60 yard field goal. The kick was no good. The Seahawks held on defense and got the ball back with 55 seconds left at their own 17. After a false start, Smith went deep and was intercepted. The Seahawks were game but the Vikings escaped. The 13-2 Vikings are still tied atop their division and the conference but do not hold the tie-breaker. The 8-7 Seahawks are on life support. They trail their division by one game and will need wins and help to make the playoffs. 27-24 Vikings
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills — This was perhaps the biggest mismatch of the year. The 11-3 Bills had already clinched their division and had a very slim chance at winning the conference. Their offense had put up 90 points in the last 2 games. Their offense had scored over 30 points in the last 8 straight games, numbers even the 1990s Jim Kelly Bills did not do. The Bills had just gone on the road and shocked a then 12-1 Detroit team. All the Bills had to do to guard against a letdown was stomp all over the pathetic 3-11 Patriots. Sometimes a really awful team can go on the road and shock a very good team in an upset for the ages. Early on, this actually was that game. A strong kickoff return had the Patriots starting at their own 42. On 3rd and 8, Drake Maye went to Hunter Henry for just enough. Defensive pass interference added 14. On 3rd and 4 from the Detroit 28, Maye went to Boute for the touchdown and the 7-0 Patriots lead. The Patriots got it back at their own 9 yard line and just punched the Bills in the mouth. Raimondre Stevenson ran for 14, 5 and 5. Maye hit Austin Hooper for 11. Maye found Henry for 10. On 3rd and 9 from the Buffalo 45, Maye ran for 10. On 3rd and 8 from the Buffalo 33, Maye went to Henry for 12. On 3rd and 2 from the Buffalo 13, the defense encroached as the first quarter ended. On 1st and goal at the 14 after offensive holding, Stevenson ran it in. 16 plays. 91 yards. 10 minutes off the clock. This was smash mouth football and the Patriots led 14-0 early in the second quarter in front of a stunned home crowd in Buffalo.
After a touchback the Bills finally woke up. Josh allen went tp Dawson Knox for 13. James Cook then took a handoff and raced for a 46 yard touchdown to get the Bills within 14-7. Yet with 12 minutes left in the half, both defenses dug in as Allen was intercepted. The Bills began the third quarter at their own 32. Cook ran for 25 and 5. Allen went to Coleman for 17. On 3rd and 3 from the New England 14, Allen went to Kincaid for 7. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Allen went to Cook for the touchdown to tie the game 14-14. The Patriots then immediately fumbled and the Bills took over at the New England 42. Tyler Bass hit a 50 yard field goal to give the Bills their first lead 17-14 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter. The Patriots after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the Buffalo 16 in easy position to tie the game or take the lead. Maye went to the end zone and was intercepted for a touchback. The Patriots got it back at their own 10 with 11 minutes left. Then came the play that defined the Patriots season. A swing pass from Maye was dropped and the receiver got knocked down. The rest of the Patriots acted nonchalant, thinking it was an incomplete pass. The throw was clearly backward, and Football 101 teaches that a lateral is a live ball. The Bills fell on it just past the goal line for a gift touchdown. 24 unanswered points meant a 24-14 Bills lead with 10 minutes left. With 4 1/2 minutes left the Patriots took over at their own 25. Maye tried to lead a furious rally, but the clock kept ticking. The Patriots ran a ridiculous 11 plays inside the Buffalo 10 yard line because both teams kept getting called for penalties. On 3rd and goal at the 9, Maye hit Henry for the touchdown with 1:13 left. The onside kick failed. From the New England 48, Johnson ran for 12, 5 and 4. That left 3rd and 1 at the New England 27 with 54 seconds left, but the Patriots were out of timeouts. Another carry gained nothing, but the clock rocked down to 10 seconds. The New England defense desperately needed a stop and a miracle. On 4th and 1, they got neither. Allen gained 2 to end it. The Patriots fought hard but the Bills survived a scare to get to 12-3. The conference is most likely out of reach but a slim chance still exists. Even though the Patriots lost, ESPN Uber-announcer Chris Berman’s maxim applies. “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!”
Jacksonville Jaguars at Las Vegas Raiders — This was the Stupor Bowl as the 2-12 Raiders, losers of 10 straight, took on the 3-11 Jaguars. Late in an ugly first quarter, a 26 yard punt return with 15 more tacked on for a penalty had the Jaguars starting at the Raiders 29. On 3rd and 9, Mac Jones went to Thomas for 12 with a defensive penalty adding 5. On 2nd and 7 from the 9, defensive pass interference meant 8 more. Bigsby got the yard to have the Jaguars up 7-0. After a touchback, Aidan O’Connell ran for 13. O’Connell then went to Jakobi Meyers for 24. On the first play of the second quarter from the Jacksonville 30, O’Connell went to Tre Tucker for 29 down to the one. Alexander Mattison got the yard for a 7-7 game. Daniel Carlson hit field goals of 49 and 37 to put the Raiders up 13-7. The Jaguars then fumbled on consecutive possession to close the half. Very late in the third quarter the Raiders had a chance to make things easy and build a 2 score lead. Yet from 46, Carlson was no good. 3 plays later came the inevitable. On 3rd and 8 from their own 38, Jones went bombs away to Thomas for a 62 yard touchdown to make it 14-13 Jaguars. After a touchback, the Raiders began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 4 at their own 41. O’Connell went to Brock Bowers for 5. On 3rd and 3 from the Jacksonville 47, O’Connell went to Amir Abdullah for 12 and 11 and to Bowers for 17. Abdullah ran for a 7 yard touchdown. Antonio Pierce went for 2 and O’Connell threw incomplete but the Raiders led by 5 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation. With 2:44 left the Jaguars took over at their own 7 yard line. They moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Raiders 48 with 1:08 to play. Jones threw incomplete. On 4th and 1, Travis Etienne gained 12 ink hat appeared to be another Raiders collapse late. Yet offensive holding on the run instead meant 4th and 11. Doug Pederson is a West Coast Offense guy, but he knows to throw past the marker in this situation. Yet instead he called a dink and dunk play that only gained 8. After 10 weeks, the Raiders finally won a game. Some of their fans were angry that the Raiders won, preferring they lose to secure the top pick in the Draft. The last Raiders top Draft pick was JaMarcus Russell. Real fans hate tanking. John Madden hated tanking. Tanking violates the integrity of football. The goal is to win every game. Al Davis was right. Just Win Baby. 19-14 Raiders
San Francisco 49ers at Miami Dolphins — 40 years ago this was the two best teams in the Super Bowl. This year they were just a pair of 6-8 teams. The 49ers were eliminated earlier in the day while the Dolphins were mathematically alive. The Dolphins in the first quarter moved from their own 30 to a 3rd and 9 at the San Francisco 26. Tua Tagovailoa threw incomplete. Jason Sanders hit from 44 to make it 3-0 Dolphins. After a touchback, Brock Purdy went to Pearsall for 21. On 4th and 1 from the Miami 40, Kyle Shanahan went for it and the Dolphins got caught on defense for too many men on the field. On 3rd and 10 from t he Miami 35, Purdy went to Deebo Samuel for 17. The second quarter began with the 49ers facing 3rd and 8 at the Miami 16. Purdy went to Samuel for the touchdown to make it 7-3 49ers. The Dolphins moved from their own 31 to a 1st and 10 at the Miami 17. Offensive holding killed the drive. Sanders hit form 38 to get the Dolphins within 7-6.
The Dolphins took over at their own 32. Tagovailoa went to Raheem Mostert for 13. Mostert then ripped off a 21 yard run against his former team. Tagovailoa went to Washington for 19. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Tagovailoa went to Tyreek Hill for the touchdown to make it 13-7 Dolphins. After a touchback the 49ers moved to a 2nd and goal at the 3 with one minute left in the half. Looking to take the lead, Purdy threw incomplete twice. Jake Moody hit the 21 yard field goal to get the 49ers within 13-10. In the third quarter Sanders hit from 54, Moody missed from 41, and Sanders hit from 33 to have the Dolphins up 19-10. The kickoff went out of bounds to set up the 49ers at their own 40. Samuel caught a pass from Purdy for 9 and ran for 13 as the third quarter ended. The fourth quarter saw Purdy go back to Samuel for 11. On 3rd and 1 from the Miami 14, Purdy went to Kittle for 11. Purdy hit Saubert for a 2 yard touchdown to get the 49ers within 19-17 with 12 minutes left in regulation. With 6 1/2 minutes left the Dolphins moved from their own 29 to a 3rd and 3 at the San Francisco 28. Mostert lost 2 yards. Sanders hit from 48 to make it 22-17 Dolphins with 2:10 to play. At the 2 minute warning Purdy was intercepted at the Miami 38. From midfield, Devon Achane delivered a dagger with a 50 yard touchdown run. The Dolphins clung to life while the defending NFC champion 49ers were guaranteed a losing record. Super Bowl Hangover is real. 29-17 Dolphins
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys was the Sunday night game. The 8-6 Buccaneers were trying to preserve their one game lead in the AFC South. The 6-8 Cowboys were eliminated earlier in the day. After an opening touchback the Cowboys moved to a 4th and 6 at the Tampa Bay 40. For most teams that is a punt. For the Cowboys it is a 58 yard Brandon Aubrey field goal for a 3-0 Cowboys lead. The Buccaneers after a touchback moved to a 4th and 3 at the Dallas 48. Todd Bowles gambled and Baker Mayfield threw incomplete. From that spot Kevontae Turpin ran for 12. Cooper Rush went to Cooks for 29. On 3rd and 9 from the Tampa Bay 10, Rush went to Tolbert for the touchdown to make it 10-0 Cowboys. In the second quarter a field position game had the Buccaneers taking over at their own 43. Mayfield went to Mike Evans for 26. Irving ran for 15, 8, and then the 2 yard touchdown to get the Buccaneers on the board. The Cowboys after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Tampa Bay 31. Rush there incomplete. Aubrey hit from 49 to have the cowboys up 13-7. The Cowboys soon faced 3rd and 9 at their own 21. Rush went to Tolbert for 10. On 3rd and 4 from their own 37, Rush went deep to Ceedee Lamb for 52. Rush hit Lamb again for 10 down to the one. Ezekiel Elliott got the yard to have the Cowboys up 20-7 with only 1:45 left in the half.
The Buccaneers took over at their own 29. Mayfield went to Evans for 15, to Shepard for 20, to Evans again for 15, and to Durham for 6. On 3rd and 4 from the Dallas 15, White gained just enough. With 48 seconds left in the half, Mayfield hit McMillan for the touchdown to get the Buccaneers within 20-14. Yet the Cowboys have Aubrey. He drilled another 58 yarder to end the half and a 53 yarder easy in the third quarter to have the Cowboys up again 26-14. The Buccaneers after a touchback moved to a 4th and 8 at the Dallas 27. Chase McLaughlin hit from 45 to get the Buccaneers within 26-17. The Buccaneers took over at their own 9 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Dallas 46. Needing 2 scores, Mayfield went for it all and was intercepted in the end zone for a touchback. The Buccaneers got it back at their own 13 with less than 5 minutes left. Mayfield went to Evans for 12 and White for 9. Mayfield ran for 12. Mayfield went to Durham for 7, to McMillan for 10 and 16, to Jarrett for 6, and to Miller for a 13 yard touchdown. With 2 1/2 minutes left, the Buccaneers were only down by 2. The Tampa Bay defense held and the Buccaneers got it back at their own 26 with 1:40 left needing only a field goal to win. Yet on the first play from scrimmage, Mayfield struggled to avoid a sack and shot-putted a throw just before going down. The receiver somehow caught it and struggled with defenders trying to gain an extra yard or two. The result was inevitable as White fumbled and the Cowboys recovered. The 8-7 Buccaneers fell into a tie for their division lead. The Buccaneers do not hold the tie-breaker, which means if they don’t win and get help in the last couple of weeks, they are out. 26-24 Cowboys
New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers is the Monday night game. The Saints were done for the year and starting Spencer Rattler in place of the injured Derek Carr. The 10-4 Packers were in the playoffs but the division was probably out of reach. This game was over quickly. The Packers began facing 3rd and 6 at their own 41. The defense jumped. On 3rd and 1, Josh Jacobs gained 3 and 7. Jordan Love went to Jacobs for 11 and to Kraft for 12. Jacobs ran for 20. Love went to Wicks for a touchdown as the 10 play, 63 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Packers. The Packers got it back at their own 4 yard line. On 3rd and 6, again the defense jumped. On 3rd and 1 Kraft gained 2. Love went to Jacobs for 13. On 3rd and 7 from their own 31, Love went to Romeo Doubs for 15. The second quarter began with Matt LaFleur gambling on 4th and 1 from the New Orleans 45. Love gained 2. On 4th and 2 from the New Orleans 35, LaFleur gambled again and Love hit Kraft for 21. Jacobs ran for 12 and then the 2 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Packers. The Packers got it back at their own 33. Watson ran for 9. Love went to Kraft for 30. Wilson ran for 8 and Watson added 14. Brooks ran for a one yard touchdown. 3 touchdowns on their first 3 drives had the Packers up 21-0 at the half. They coasted form there. Brandon McManus hit field goals of 55 in the third quarter and from 46 midway through the fourth quarter to make it 27-0 Packers. A short field then had the Packers at the New Orleans 48. Jordan Love was done for the night resting and Malik Wilson played mop up. On 4th and 2, Willis went deep to Reed for 34. On 3rd and goal at the one, Wilson got in to complete the scoring. The Green Bay defense in garbage time preserved the shutout. The 11-4 Packers will be one of the stronger wildcards in some time. 34-0 Packers
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